No Me Ames
by inuyasha-angel2004
Summary: As the Inuyasha gang carries on in their relentless battle to defeat Naraku, they are joined by some new companions. Ever heard of the phrase 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? BanOC, InuKag, MirSan, and so on and so forth.
1. Chapter 1

_**Alright, my dear wonderful people.. As you can clearly see, I have deleted the old version of this same story. Why? Because I didn't like it. I plan on updating my other stories very soon.. but only if you read this one. Insert cruel chuckle here Bribery is awesome. No, seriously, I'll be updating them soon, but at the moment, this one is my obssession. So, enjoy!  
**_

_** I do not claim rights to Inuyasha or any of the characters, blah blah blah, you know this. I do, however, claim rights to Angel and a couple of the other characters that eventually come along belong to a friend of mine.**_

* * *

_No me ames, solo te haré sufrir._

* * *

He could feel the pain surging through his body, both physically and mentally. Naraku's attempts at torture were nothing compared to what he was feeling inside, the loss of his comrades… his brothers tearing at his very soul. Biting back a pained cry, he allowed his eyes to fall closed as his body collapsed to all fours. Beyond the darkness of closed lids, he could see them. All of them. Six faded silhouettes standing boldly yet helplessly in a place that not even he, their barbaric leader, could reach without death. "Leader…" He whispered as cerulean eyes slowly opened. _'A true leader… would have never failed his companions. A true leader would…would have seen the dissension and the betrayal to follow. A true leader…'_ His thoughts paused as he felt the gruesome tear in his throat, the warmth of his own blood warming the skin of his chest and abdomen. Fighting for breath, he attempted to focus on the despicable creature that had doomed he and his men from the very moment they had taken the first breaths of a second life. As his vision strained to clear, it was not the smirking face of Naraku he was greeted with but the gentle smiles of the men he once commanded. A single tear slid down his cheek as he battled to summon a smile of his own. _'A true leader…would have died first.'_

* * *

"Kagura!"

"Finished already?" The wind sorceress questioned, solemnly waving her fan in front of her face as she approached the still body lying before her master. Giving the corpse a disinterested kick, she glanced up at Naraku. "I thought he would possess a bit more will than that. Regardless, I suppose it is left to me to rid of the body?"

"You suppose correctly." Turning away, he only took a few steps before pausing to glance over his shoulder. "You know where to take him," Watching his incarnation momentarily, his eyes narrowed, "and Kagura…"

"Hn?" Her hand pausing just above the feather in her hair, the youkai turned, scarlet eyes settling into piercing dark orbs.

"I do not recommend your worthless attempts to escape my control."

Fighting the growl that threatened to emerge, she nodded before swiftly yanking the feather from her hair. Naraku watched solemnly as the transformed feather carried her away with a limp, crimson stained arm dangling from its edge. "Now on to other matters."

* * *

Her eyes narrowed as she studied his battered yet somewhat peaceful face. He seemed to be merely sleeping, but there was no noise. No movement. Another life snatched by Naraku. She scoffed, jerking her gaze to the skies. How could she be feeling sympathy for this man? The life that Naraku had taken was life that he had himself given. Holding her stern expression for a few more moments, Kagura sighed heavily, again finding herself glancing down at the young man. "You could have beaten him. You had the power." Glancing at his bruised hand, she recalled the halberd. The weapon that had, in fact, faced Inuyasha's wind scar and remained strong enough to assist in another battle. "Hn, he did have the shards, though." Eyes widening, the wind sorceress cringed at her own idea. '_He was powerful before receiving the jewel shards. The halberd alone carried the power of 1000 humans and 1000 demons. If I were to…' _ She paused, glancing back in the direction where Naraku remained hidden. _'If Naraku found out…'_

She watched impassively as the body tumbled from the air, hitting the ground with a sound 'thud'. Eyes narrowed, she nodded to herself, casting one last glance before disappearing behind the clouds.

* * *

"Kagome! Will you hurry up? We don't have all day!" A single ear twitched but the hanyou never moved from his reclined position against the tree. The extreme temperatures and constant snow was slowing them down enough, only adding to the hanyou's original irritation. "Kagome!!"

"Alright, alright, I'm here!" She bellowed, adjusting her gloves.

"It's about damn time!" Getting to his feet, he motioned the girl to his back. Silently mocking him, she obliged, climbing on with ease.

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha. The short amount of time Lady Kagome took to change has surely not caused us much delay." Miroku reasoned, giving the hanyou a pat on the shoulder as he walked past. Golden eyes narrowed and Inuyasha cursed under his breath before sprinting into a run. The group remained unusually silent during recent travels. The fall of the Shichinintai, Kikyo's death, and Naraku's disappearance seemed to be enough to weigh down all their minds with an endless amount of questioning and speculation.

'_Where could he be? There's been no trace of Naraku for weeks now. Where could he be hiding? What is he planning?' _His thoughts could have went on for days, repeating the same questions over and over just to seemingly satisfy his mind's need of asking them. Now, however, a new question presented itself. _'That scent… I recognize it…but who is it?' _Sliding to a halt, Inuyasha straightened and sniffed the air, his hold on Kagome's legs tightening.

"Inuyasha…What is it?" Kagome questioned as the remainder of the group seemed to catch on and return to where the two stood. Jumping from Kirara's back, Sango readied Hiraikotsu, placing her back against Miroku's in their usual stance. Inuyasha's puzzling silence was enough to genuinely unnerve them. The wind took an unusual turn, picking up and swirling around them like some wild serpent. As the rest of his comrades searched the area, Inuyasha's golden eyes remained locked on one certain space. As if sensing the recognition, she made her presence known, a dark silhouette emerging from the trees, her footsteps bringing all attention to rest on her.

The corner of her mouth drew up into a smirk. "Hello, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha, allowing Kagome to slide from his back, straightened, eyes wide and mouth agape. The girl approached with a calm but steady pace, the smirk replaced with a genuine smile. A first glance, she appeared to be demon, her raven hair covering her pointed ears until the wind would blow in just the right way to uncover them. Claws graced the tips of her fingers and her smile revealed razor sharp canines. Her most intriguing feature, however, would have to have been her stunning blue eyes. Bright enough to put a summer sky to shame with a glow that rivaled the moon itself.

"Missed me?" She asked, coming to a halt just in front of the hanyou. Inuyasha's expression was between bewilderment and a smile. Standing just a few inches shorter, the girl raised to her tip-toes, gently flicking one of Inuyasha's ears. "Come on, it's not like you to just stand around with your jaw hanging. Say something."

"A-Angel?" Inuyasha stammered, causing the girl in front of him to giggle.

"Yea, who else would it be?" Her expression falling straight, she leaned around and glared at the group standing behind him, all expressions seeming to match that of the hanyou she was speaking to. "What the hell, Inuyasha? I disappear for a while and when I come back, _this_ is what I find? Were you _that_ bored?" Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow, glancing at his comrades.

"What do you mean? Them? They're my friends." He stated matter-of-factly, crossing his arms across his chest. The girl appeared both shocked and confused.

"But…they're humans. Well, humans and a squirrel youkai."

"I am not a squirrel!" Shippo protested, leaping onto Kagome's shoulder. The young miko took a couple of steps forward, landing her at Inuyasha's side.

"Who are you, anyway?" She questioned, a bit concerned about the immediate irritation that became evident on the demon's features.

"You should know. You trained me in the ways of healing and medicine." She all but hissed at Kagome. The miko's head tilted. "Tell me you haven't forgotten, Kikyo. It's only been a little over 50 years. How is it that you're still alive and kicking anyhow?"

"Kikyo? Oh but I'm not--,"

"She's not Kikyo." Inuyasha interjected. Crossing her arms in an almost eerie imitation of Inuyasha, the young demon cocked an eyebrow. "Everyone," Lowering his head, Inuyasha took a step forward and turned while putting an arm around the girl, "this is my sister. This is Angel." No response. "It's…complicated." Still no response.

"Wow, and I thought they were quiet before." Angel laughed, maneuvering out of Inuyasha's hold. "Not by blood, mind you, but we might as well be. Big lug practically raised me, but don't worry…I didn't turn out as bad as he did." She smiled, playfully punching her brother in the arm. When no answer was given, the girl sighed. "Well, obviously, they've been hanging around you for too long. You've slaughtered any sense of humor they may have once had."

"Wait, are you telling us that you're both hanyou but of no blood relation?" Miroku questioned.

"Yea, so?"

"Interesting." He answered, rubbing his chin. Casting Inuyasha a quizzical glance, the female hanyou placed her hands on her hips.

"Interesting? What's that supposed to mean?" She seethed.

"Nothing at all."

"Oh really?"

Kagome watched, exasperated, as the bickering continued. Inuyasha and Sango had stepped in when Miroku finally decided to grace Angel with his famous question. _'Ugh, today was odd to begin with, and now, Inuyasha has a _sister_? Can this get anymore complicated?' _It began as a small ringing in her ears, pulling her attention away from her friends and to the hauntingly white of the snow drenched woods. Gently setting Shippo to the ground, she wandered away from the group, squinting as if attempting to see past the trees to what was sending the call. Feeling a pulse run through her body, she gasped, "Inuyasha."

* * *

With a sharp intake of breath, his eyes snapped open, his world caught in an explosion of white light. Coughing and sputtering as if he had been held underwater, he rolled onto his stomach, shakily pushing himself to all fours. His breathing consisted on constant hisses and moans, the unforgiving ache of his wounds preventing him from making it to a full upright position. Glancing up through ice plagued strands of hair, he immediately recognized the graves, a hoarse whimper coursing across his trembling lips as he tore his eyes away. The merciless cold was already taking its toll on his flesh, leaving an irritating sting yet a blissful numbness. He could barely crawl, his foggy mentality never allowing him to find shame in his last resort. The world that had just greeted him in such a cruel manner was already beginning to fade, a rim of black invading his vision. He had no voice to call for help and was not so sure that he would do so even if able.

What felt like miles to him was, at the most, a few feet that he had managed to maneuver across before pain and fatigue finally got the better of him. Collapsing onto his stomach, he could feel the cold snow numbing his cheek as he gave into the beckoning darkness of a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"What exactly are we looking for?" Angel asked, keeping up with Inuyasha's fast pace easily. Taking to the trees, Kagome secured firmly on his back, he leaped from branch to branch with ease, a bit delighted to see Angel so quickly follow suit.

'_Just like the old days…' _The smile came unbidden yet disappeared just as quickly. "Miroku." Inuyasha paused on a branch, straightening as Kirara caught up and hovered close by. "I smell Naraku. He's close, but there's also the stench of--,"

"Human blood." Angel finished, leaping to the ground. "Who is Naraku?" She asked nonchalantly between sniffs of the ground. Inuyasha sighed. She really had been gone a long time.

"We'll explain later. Angel, you follow the trail of the blood and we'll find Naraku. I think it's just best that he doesn't know anything about you just yet." Crouching in preparation, he paused at his sister's call. "I said I'll explain later." Watching as they slowly melted to distant figures in the sky, the hanyou caught herself sighing.

"Alone again…and so soon. What am I? A hound?" Grumbling, she lowered to all fours and continued searching out the scent.

* * *

"Inuyasha,"

"Hn?"

"Why didn't you tell Angel about Naraku?" Kagome questioned, lowering her head a bit more to shield her face from the merciless winter wind. Inuyasha let out a 'keh'.

"Use your head, Kagome. Angel knows nothing of Naraku and I'm pretty sure Naraku knows nothing of Angel. I'd like to keep it that way." Taking a deep breath, he made a sharp turn to the right. "Besides, she has a habit of finding _enough_ trouble on her own."

* * *

"Hello? Anyone there?" Pushing a branch out of her path, she leaned into a small clearing. "Hello?" Giving the air a couple of sniffs, she glanced around. "The scent is strongest here, which…means…oh, Kami." Falling to all fours, she began to claw desperately at the ground, unable to bear the thought that an innocent being was buried underneath. Moments passed without success but the scent had not lost its strength, which left her even more concerned that the poor soul would bleed to death before she could reach them. "Just hang on! I'm going to find you! Can you hear me? Hey!"

Cerulean eyes blinked open as best they could amongst the invading snow. _'Who…?'_ Her voice still echoing in his head, he tried as best he could to push himself up onto all fours. The weight of the snow on his back, though light to any other, was enough to weigh him down. Opening his mouth, he strained his vocal chords to call for the stranger, nothing emerging but a hoarse breath. His attempts to snatch her attention were enough to wear him down, his eyes closing heavily and his breathing raspy and ragged. Who was he to ask for help anyway? He was a murderer, through and through. The white surrounding him began to fade into a blurry, dark haze, and some part of him knew that when the darkness came again, there would be no coming back.

"There you are!" He barely had time to allow her voice to register before he felt the pressure from her grip on his shoulders. The rush of cold air that followed sent his body into violent chills, his pale lips quivering as his dull eyes forced themselves open. "You're gonna be alright." Angel assured, pulling him up onto her back, his feet left to drag the ground. Her raven hair was the first thing he saw, followed by the small clawed hand that gripped his arms. He felt his heartbeat increase though his eyes began to close.

"Demon…" He whispered before she felt his full weight on her back. Glancing over her shoulder, she paused, content to feel the rise and fall of his chest.

"Yea, demon, but this demon just saved your ass, buddy." Sighing heavily, she pressed on. She was not sure just where she would take him, but she knew she had to get him somewhere if he was going to have any chance of making it at all.

* * *

Entering the cozy little hut, she sat the small bundle in her arms on the table and walked over to the fire pit. "Not many herbs now, the snow's taken care of most of 'em." Looking up at the ceiling, she could see the light from the sky spill through several holes in the roof. "Hmm, no matter. As long as we're warm." She found herself talking to the unconscious stranger as if he were going to reply at any given moment. "It's nothing but sheer luck that we happened upon this place. Your fever was getting higher by the second." Glancing over her shoulder to the mat on which he was resting, she bit her lip as she admired his firm build and handsome features. Angel had never been one to give much attention to the opposite sex, thanks, in part, to her twisted views on relationships and emotion. Feeling herself blush, she turned back to the fire and reached to grab the bundle of herbs, plucking out a select few to drop into the hanging pot. Grabbing a small bowl, she placed a selection of herbs inside and ground them into a fine powder, adding just a bit of water to make a paste. "That should handle the infection." She sat that bowl aside and repeated the process with the remaining herbs. "That one should aid in healing." Pouring a small bowl full of the steaming liquid in the hanging pot, she lifted it for inspection before smiling. "And that one, the fever."

Gathering the three small bowls, she crawled over to where he lay, sitting them down beside his head but not too close, lest he throw a fit and spill them. _'There's just not enough to take that risk.'_ Pulling the thick furs down to around his waist, she inspected the wounds on his chest, one in particular. One that had already almost healed. A deep cut that began at his chin and traveled all the way down to his naval. "How could a human survive that?" Her fingers gently grazed the irritated skin of several wounds, applying ointments and bandages without the slightest hint of protest from the sleeping man. "He must really be worn out." Maneuvering herself to sit beside his head, she applied the medicated ointment to a small but deep laceration on his forehead. Softly dragging her finger to the middle of his forehead, she replaced it with her thumb and firmly pressed into the man's flesh, his eyes immediately attempting to flutter open. "Hey, there." She whispered, reaching for the last bowl. "I'm sorry to wake you, but you need to drink this medicine." When he didn't respond, she raised the bowl to his lips, offering it once again. "It'll help with the fever." Nodding feebly in reply, he parted his lips slightly, grimacing as the warm liquid ran down his throat. Angel laughed and pulled the bowl away. "I never said anything about tasting good." He seemingly ignored her statement and began trying to maneuver into a sitting position, encountering a great deal of difficulty. "You wanna sit up?" She asked, sitting the bowl aside in order to snake an arm around his back. Once up and propped against the wall, Angel remained quiet until it was evident that the pain was under control and his eyes once again opened. "You alright?"

"You're…demon." He stated weakly.

"Half, actually. You shouldn't worry though; I'm not going to slaughter you after I spend all this time trying to get you well." She was pleased to see a smirk as his eyes closed once again. Again placing the bowl against his lips, he responded by opening his mouth and allowing her to administer more of the foul medicine. "We'll see how that works. You may not need anymore." The man's eyes never opened but there was a twitch in his lip that made it evident he was listening. "So, what's your name?" She asked, standing and moving across the room for more bandages and fresh water. When she didn't receive an answer, she thought it best not to ask the same question twice. "You had some pretty severe injuries and you must have been left out there for hours. Who would have--,"

"Bankotsu."

"Hn?" She turned from removing the hanging pot, her eyes meeting his for the first time.

"My name…is Bankotsu."


	2. Chapter 2

**_ I do not claim rights to Inuyasha or any of the characters, blah blah blah, you know this. I do, however, claim rights to Angel and a couple of the other characters that eventually come along belong to a friend of mine._ **

* * *

_No me ames porque estoy perdida._

* * *

"I don't get it." Inuyasha shook his head, landing in a crouch with Kagome still firmly attached to his back. "There's no sign of him for days and then we find a trail that leads us to nothing. He's up to something. He's gotta be."

"Not to mention the jewel shard that I sensed." The miko added almost unconsciously in her contemplative silence. Hopping from Kirara's back almost immediately upon landing, Miroku made his way over to the distraught pair. He, too, had noticed the tension amongst the small band, including himself, since Naraku's disappearance. Something was happening and they were helpless to stop it.

"We need to regroup. Let us find your sister, Inuyasha, and collect our thoughts." The hanyou seemed uninterested, merely grunting before striding casually in the direction where they had last seen Angel. "Perhaps…the injured human she was searching for could provide some answers for us?" That seemed to do the trick. Inuyasha's ears perked up and his pace seemed to quicken instantaneously.

"Well, what you waiting for, monk? An invitation? We need to find Angel!" Miroku sighed heavily, closing his eyes just after the red clad hanyou became a blur in the distance.

"Yes, Inuyasha. That is exactly what I'm waiting for." Sarcasm dripped from his words, his eyebrow giving an irritated twitch as he turned to the demon slayer. "Come, my love. We mustn't dilly and we mustn't dally. Time is of the essence."

* * *

He could not sleep. There was no question as to why. The answer was irritatingly obvious. He had done nothing but sleep since arriving at the cabin a little more than two days earlier. Taking a deep breath, he silenced the hiss brought forth by the sting in his battered ribs, turning to make sure he had not awakened the sleeping hanyou merely a few feet away. Cobalt eyes narrowing, he raised to prop himself on one elbow, ignoring the small amount of pain it caused. _'I don't understand. Why is she helping me? Why…is she staying?'_ Biting his lip while casting frequent glances toward the girl, he reached up to grasp the edge of the small table where Angel kept the herbs and used the leverage to pull himself to his feet, thankful that she had left him the dignity of his pants. He almost immediately realized his will had outdone his ability tenfold, his legs trembling fiercely before he almost crumbled to his knees…had a small hand not reached out to steady him.

"You shouldn't be up." Bankotsu would have described her tone as cold, her rivaling blue eyes piercing into his with a promise of defeat should he question her. The mighty mercenary himself was even willing to admit she could defeat him with ease on that day. He was in agony. He was tired and confused, and now he was questioning his reasoning for battling to his feet in the first place. "Hey, I asked you a question."

"Huh?" Giving her a blank stare, it became clear that he had not heard a word she said. Sighing, she held her gaze to the ground for a few moments before looking to him with a warm smile.

"Would you like to go outside for a while?" His bewildered expression remaining, he nodded, allowing her to guide his arm across her shoulders. "Ok, one step at a time. Try not to put too much weight on that right ankle. It still looks a little swollen." Her words were nothing more than incoherent gibberish, his mind more interested in her actions. Never, in all his years as a mercenary, had he been treated with such kindness. And from a hanyou, no less. "Here, let's put this across your shoulders. You're just now beginning to heal and catching pneumonia wouldn't really be the best thing to keep that going." Pulling away from him to reach for the blanket, she slid her hand down the arm that had moments ago been positioned across her shoulders, leaving it to rest in his larger, tanned hand. Bankotsu watched her silently with both sheer curiosity and awe, never noticing her grip on his hand nor its absence when she released it to return to their previous stance. The light was a welcomed beam as the door slowly slid open to reveal the white terrain outside. Turning his head, Bankotsu squinted, his eyes needing a few moments to adjust after being concealed in the dark, gloomy cabin. "You alright?" Opening one eye, he looked over and down at the girl next to him.

"Yea." He answered quietly, never voicing complaint as she assisted him to sit on the small deck that surrounded the hut. Draping the blanket across his shoulders before taking a seat next to him, the hanyou drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, a heavy sigh crossing her lips as they formed a small smile. The mercenary remained quiet, his eyes traveling over every few seconds to study the strange creature called Angel.

"If my brother were here, we'd be buried in that right about now." Her words shattered the silence after quite a few moments of relaxed tension had passed, Bankotsu casting a curious glance her way. When she did not receive a reply, Angel bit her lip and tapped her claws on her knees before maneuvering to her feet. From the corner of his eye, he watched her disappear into the hut and made no move to stop her. Forcing all curiosity aside, he allowed his thoughts to travel back to the last moments he remembered before waking up under the snow.

* * *

_The remnants of Mount Hakurei crumbled in his wake, creating a cloud of dust that would spread across the land like a flood, yet Naraku never looked back. Stopping briefly to collect the battered mercenary, he slung him over his shoulder with ease and continued forward, his incarnations silently falling in line behind him. _

_A drop of blood trailed its way across the purple marking on Bankotsu's forehead as he glanced up to watch the last of the mountain disappear. Closing his eyes tightly to drive away the pain, he clenched his teeth and allowed himself hang limply. "Why…didn't you really kill me? Why did you…only want them to think…you did?" Speaking was only painful, his words interrupted and followed by heavy pants and deep moans. Naraku chuckled._

"_That was too merciful a death for the likes of you." Bankotsu's eyes opened and focused on the ground. "I have much more in store."_

* * *

"Here." Her tone was quiet but enough to snap him from his daydream. Glancing up, he stared momentarily at the small bowl she was offering before hesitantly accepting. "Broth...You need to eat." The mercenary nodded, sipping the hot liquid. Peering over the rim of the bowl, he watched her walk to the end of the deck and lean against an obviously unsteady column that was poorly supporting the roof. His gaze never remained for too long, in fear that she would catch him staring. The last thing he wanted to do was seem ungrateful and staring at a hanyou was not the wisest thing a human could do when in their presence. Moments later, Angel heard him quietly clear his throat.

"Where is he?"

"Hn?" Turning to completely face him, she stifled a smile. He looked almost shy, refusing to even glance in her direction as he stared blankly into bowl she had handed him moments earlier, which was now empty.

"Your brother…Where is he?" He asked again.

"Oh. He's around." She replied, leaning onto the rotting rail between the supporting columns. It was not long before silence once again ensued, leaving Angel a bit disappointed that their first attempt at real conversation was so short lived. Watching him silently, she began to question his background, his depressive demeanor leaving her to wonder where exactly it was he had come from. Her moment of contemplation was cut short by an icy breeze, her hair whipping about her small form wildly. Crossing her arms to somewhat shield herself, she approached her comrade and kneeled at his side. "We should get you inside. The cold might cause a relapse in your condition." Feebly nodding in agreement, the mercenary placed the bowl on the deck and weakly attempted to push himself to his feet. Never looking in her direction as he felt her small hands grip his arm, he wobbled unsteadily and turned away, pulling out of her grip before reaching to steady himself on doorframe. Being raised by someone as stubborn as Inuyasha, Angel knew all too well of a man's need for independence and permitted Bankotsu to maneuver himself into the cabin, though she never allowed more than a few feet to elapse between them. Stepping into the hut, she gave the sunset behind her a willful glance. _'Where are you, Inuyasha?'_ Sighing almost inaudibly, she turned back and watched the mercenary slide down the wall into a sitting position, eyes tightly closed and teeth clenched. Appearing somewhat distraught, her blue orbs cast downward as she slowly closed the door.

* * *

"Damnit!"

Kagome watched silently as Inuyasha, perched on all fours in the snow, punched the ground. The sun had long ago set and there was still no sign of their new companion. The snow, still falling steadily, had drowned any trail, deliberate or not, that the girl could have possibly left. "I'm sure she's alright, Inuyasha." The miko soothed, kneeling at his side.

"You don't know her, Kagome." Shrugging her small hand from his shoulder, the hanyou stood and stared into the white emptiness. "She's a deadly force with the heart of a human."

"Like you, neh?" The young miko smiled, never seeing the one that was returned as she joined Sango and Miroku in calling for the girl. His face straightening, Inuyasha turned his golden orbs to the sky.

'_That's what scares me… She's exactly like me.'_

* * *

Pushing another patch of snow aside, Angel sighed and stared momentarily at the wilted herbs. "Well, this is a lost cause." The morning air was chilling, even to a hanyou, and the hope of finding anything that would aid in the mercenary's recovery was quickly diminishing. Empty handed, she turned and began to advance back to the hut, pausing and tilting her head. Eyes narrowing, she gave the air two quick sniffs before spinning and lowering herself into a defensive crouch. "Who the hell are you?"

"Easy, kitty, we just want to," the dirty looking man gave his comrade a devilish grin, "have a talk." Angel hissed.

"Do I look like a cat demon to you?"

"You look like a woman." The other man seethed, placing a small tube to his mouth. With a quick puff of air, a small dart impaled itself in the hanyou's neck, its poison pouring into her veins before she had a chance to remove it. "A fine specimen of one, at that." Her vision already blurring, Angel collapsed to one knee, a wave of nausea and disorientation washing over her.

"Sh…shit…" She found her voice unable to conjure more than a whisper and watched helplessly as two darkened silhouettes began to close in on her.

* * *

"_What's so funny?!" _

_He watched with an amused expression as his comrade unsteadily stood before him._

"_Every time one of us dies, YOU collect the Shikon Shard! You were just using us!"_

'_Renkotsu, you fool.'_

"_What's the difference?!"_

_Just as quickly as he blinked, the scene around him changed. Blood spilled into the air directly in front of him and he watched helplessly as three shards were caught by a clawed hand. For a moment, he could not breathe. He could feel the final shard in his wrist pulsing, increasing its own power to continue granting him life. The mercenary's vision was blurred but he felt the pain surge through his back as he connected roughly with the rocks._

"_I've taken five." The blur of read stood slowly, tucking the captured shards into his kimono. "Now, all I have to do is take the shards from your left arm and it'll be over, Bankotsu."_

'_I can't lose.' _

"_Your bare hands were strong enough."_

'_No…'_

"_You let us down, Bankotsu." _

'_Suikotsu, there was… nothing I could do.'_

"_You betrayed us."_

'_Jakotsu, you of all people should know that would never happen…'_

"_You failed."_

'_Jakotsu…'_

"_You... FAILED!"_

"NO!" Jolting upright on the cot, the mercenary cried out and enveloped his protesting ribs, drawing his knees up slightly. "Fucking nightmares…" He whispered, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His fever had obviously broken, but he was left drained. He was left… weak. At least she was there. Something told him that he could trust her. She was kind. She was gentle. She was…beautiful. He never even noticed he was smiling, cobalt eyes searching every inch of the hut for the girl. Then it hit him. She would have been at his side upon hearing him wake unless, of course, she was outside. "Angel?" The name felt strange rolling from his tongue, being the first time he had spoken it in their three days together. Throwing aside the furs that covered him, he felt a chill tear through his spine. Ignoring it, he shakily stood, balancing himself against the wall as he made his way to the door.

Bankotsu had to admit that he liked the attention, though that was the one thing that a woman had never denied him. Those times were different though, fueled by barrels of sake and lustful indulgence. Still, he had no complaints. His past, though stained with murder and greed, was something he refused to regret. His men…his friends would have and did follow him into the very bowels of Hell. Tragic as it was, his death was still that of a warrior. Rebel to the very end and he knew that he would not change that for a single moment. But what about now? He had been handed yet another chance at life. One that he could perhaps make into something different.

Hissing through clinched teeth, he rested his forehead against the doorframe, thankful that the few feet between his cot and the door had been traveled without collapse. A few preparing breaths later, he slid the door open and slowly made his way outside, his upper body going into a small spasm from the sudden rush of cool air . "Angel?" Hand enclosed over his healing ribs, he leaned against one of the weak columns. _'Where…could she have gone?'_ The mercenary turned back to the hut, giving the surrounding area one last scan from over his shoulder before heading back inside to await the hanyou's return.

Taking merely a couple of steps, he paused. Brow knitting, he stared into nothing, focusing all of his attention into listening.

"Do you think the hut is worth looking into?"

"She's a demon. This sword and a few articles of worthless jewelry seem to be all she carries. Let's just take her and go."

"You're right. We can sell her off to slavery after we're done… supposing there's anything left of her."

Cobalt eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Here…take the sword and get the bags we swiped from that wagon. I've got the girl." The second bandit did as he was told, licking his lips as the nearly unconscious hanyou was draped across his partner's shoulder. "Leave her belongs. They will bring nothing in the markets."

"Alright, let's get out of here." Bag in each hand, he fell in behind his comrade and reached up to snatch a fistful of Angel's hair. Roughly yanking her head up, he gave her a looking over. "Don't you worry, little demon. We're gonna take real good care of you."

"Hey!"

"Eh?" Both bandits spun on a dime to face the new and unexpected presence. "Who the… Ha, it's a boy!"

"Get out of here, kid. Leave us alone."

"Gladly…"

"Stupid kid." Adjusting the girl on his shoulder, the older of the two thieves looked to the sun. "It will be nightfall soon; we should stop by the brothel and…"

"…Leave the girl."

Sighing exasperatedly, the bandit turned back. "I thought I told you to get lost."

"Leave the girl and be on your way…" His tone left no room for argument and received raised eyebrows from the men he addressed. His expression remained solemn, even as the bandits began to chuckle at his demands.

"And what can a kid like you do?" The younger bandit slapped his knee, both men laughing hardily. The wind picking up steadily, a streak of light tore across the ground causing silence to fall over the two. The light of early sunset reflected from the blade, the mercenary's hand tightening on the hilt.

"I can kill you."


End file.
